Tractor shovel



Dec. 10, 1946. M CONRAD 7 2,412,323

TRACTOR SHOVEL Filed July 19, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 10, M CONRADTRACTOR SHOVEL Filed, July '19, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet. 2

IN VEN TOR.

Dec. 10, 1946. Q M. L. CONRAD 2,412,323

TRACTOR SHOVEL Filed July 19, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR.

A7 mcadlfinrdd Patented Dec. 10, 1946 TRACTOR SHOVEL Marcus L. Conrad,Mundelein, Ill., assignor to The Frank G. Hough Co., Libertyville, 11].,a corporation of Illinois Application July 19, 1944, Serial No. 545,640

9 (llaims.

1 r The current invention relates to certain novel and advantageousstructural features and their attendant functional benefits invehicle-mounted power-operated shovels, frequently known astractor-shovels, one aim of the invention being I to supply materiallyimproved means for conthe tractor is travelling with its load.

Another important feature of the invention resides in the fact that suchinnovatory shovel governing means permits the shovel to carry the loadeffectively at a relatively low level or centerof-gravity when conveyingit, whereby, during the travel of the tractor, the view of the operatoris not obstructed or restricted thus rendering the operation of theappliance a matter of ease, facility and safety.

Such comparatively low center-of-gravity of the vehicle as a whole whentransporting the loaded shovel to its delivery location has a directeflect on the safety of operation of the appliance and the unencumberedsteering of the same.

To enable those skilled in this art to understand the structural andoperating features or characteristics of an embodiment of the invention,a present preferred incorporation thereof in physical form has beenillustrated in detail in the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, and to which reference should be had in connectionwith the following description thereof, like mechanical elements in theseveral views of the drawings having been supplied with the samereference numerals for the sake of simplicity.

In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the tractorshovel showing the shovelin full lines in its elevated load-discharging position and in dottedlines in its load-retaining relation;

Figure 2 is an enlarged, horizontal, detailed, sectional view taken online 2--2 of Figure 4;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary, side elevation of the structure on a largerscale depicting in full lines the elements of the machine with theshovel in its lowermost load-receiving position;

Figure 4 is a partial perspective presentation of the construction withthe shovel in its intermediate position occupied during the travel ofthe tractor;

Figure 5 is a vertical section on line 5-5 of I Figure 3;

Figure 6 is an incomplete perspective view of the shovel or bucketshowing one of its pairof manually releasable locking means; and

Figure 7 is a section on line 1-1 of Figure 6.

As is clearly portrayed in these views of the drawings, the vehicle onwhich the poweractuated shovel is mounted is an intemal-coinbustionengine operated tractor, characterized as a whole H, having fourcarrying-wheels, an operator's seat, a steering-whee] l2, and agearshift lever, all of ordinary or usual known types.

Exept for details of construction hereinafter designated, the parts ofthe structure at the two sides of the vehicle are alike so that acomplete description of one will suffice for both.

The boom or vertically-rcckable elevating and lowering support,designated as a whole l3, for the shovel comprises a horizontalcross-shaft M extended through, and having appropriate bearrear end of aforwardly projecting arm l5,-flxed thereon, the front end of each sucharm being suitably hinged at [6 between a pair of spacedapart, parallelbars l1, I! at the rear of the shovel [8.

As is clearly indicated in Figures 1 and 3, the forward portions of thepair of bars [5, l5 are cross connected together by a, transversetubularmember l9 welded or otherwise fastened at its ends against theinner faces of the two bars.

At 2| each such rock arm or bar l5 has an upper, closed end of acylinder 22 hinged thereto, the hollow, downwardly extended piston 23 ofthe cylinder being hinged or fulcrumed at 24 to the frame of the tractorH, the lower portions of the interiors of such pair of pistons beingcross connected together by a pipe 25 having a flexible conduit 26extended up into the tractor, the oil under pressure for simultaneouslyactuating the two pistons and cylinders being controlled by a handle 21within easy reach of the seated operator of the vehicle.

Obviously, when the oil enters the pistons, the

bolt 29 having rockingly mounted thereon thefront end of ashovel-control bar or link 3| whose rear end is hinged at 32 on its sideof the tractor on an upward extension 33 from the frame of the tractor,it being noted that the axes of the 3 two hinge or rocking connections14 and 32 are in substantially the same horizontal plane, with the axisof part 32 ahead of the axis of part l4.

Inasmuch as each link 3| is inwardly beyond its corresponding boom armor bar I 5, the former, for safety of the operator of the tractor, has adownwardly-extended, protective flat wing or shield 34.

Appropriately pivoted at 35 between each pair of bars l1, I1 is aforwardly-projecting hook or latch 36, the two hooks, near oppositesides of the shovel, being capable of simultaneous actuation by means ofan upper cross-shaft 31 oscillatory in hearings in all four bars l1, H,as shown in Figures 5, 6 and '7, one end of such shaft having anupstanding operating-arm 38 fixed thereon and pivotally connected at 39to an actuating rod 4| extending rearwardly through an aperture in anupright support 42, the rear end of such rod having a handle 43 withineasy reach of the operator seated in the machine.

Fixed on and turnable with the shaft 31 between each pair of bars H, His the hub 44 of a skeleton arm 45 rockingly accommodating a shortoscillatory shaft 46 to which is aflixed a depend- Each hook 36 coactswith its own individual catch 49 welded to the back of the shovel andagainst which a block .aflixed to the two correlative parts I1, I! isadapted to bear.

To assure that each hook is normally down in its operative position, rod4| is surrounded by a coiled spring 52 hearing at its rear end againstthe member 4| and at itsfront end against a collar 53 fixed to the rod.

To absorb the shock of the unhooked or unlocked shovel when it tips todischarge its load, any convenient or expedient means such as the springand chain mechanism 54, 54, may be used, these forming no part of thepresent invention.

The novel appliance functions substantially as follows:

When the locked or hooked shovel is in its lowermost position, as shownin Figure 3, and the tractor is advanced to cause the shovel to receiveits load, the guide-bars or control-links- 3|, 3| assist theboom-structure l3 in maintaining the shovel in correct relation, whichinvolves an upward as well as a rotative movement of the shovel.

- The shovel having scooped up its load, it is elevated by its supportedboom to its carrying position, shown in dotted lines in Figure 3, and

' It is to be particularly noted that, while the shovel remains in itspartially elevated position as illustrated in Figur 4, thetractor,carries ing rod hinged at 48 to the corresponding hook nectedtogether crosswise by a rod or tube 55 the shovel and its contents tothe place where the latter is to be delivered or dumped, and theperformance of this act while the shovel and its lading are at suchrelatively low level has two outstanding advantages, in that, in thefirst place, the view ahead of the driver of the tractor is unobstructedso that danger incident to the absence of such a condition is avoided,and, in the second place, the comparatively low center-ofgravity of theloaded tractor is a distinct benefit in the travelling and guiding ofsuch vehicle.

An outstanding and important feature of the invention resides in theactuality that by reason of the function of the shovel-controlling links3|, 3| and its relation to the operation of the boom l3, the shovelduring its elevation from the ground is quickly rocked to full-loadholding relation which is thereafter preserved during the.

later further lifting thereof to its final dumping position.

Those acquainted with this art will readily understand that theinvention, as defined in the appended claims, is not necessarily limitedand restricted to the precise and exact details of construction shownand described and that reasonable modifications may be resorted towithout departure from the heart and essence of the invention andwithout the loss or sacrifice of any of its substantial benefits andadvantages.

Although not always essential, the front end portions of the parallellinks 3|, 3| may be conuppermost fixed to them in any approved manner.

It may also be mentioned in passing that by reason of the low overallheight-of the machine its uses are extensive, in that the vehicle iscapable' of maneuvering through low'openings,

during such lifting thereof, by reason of the rock- 'ing of the shovelrearwardly around the axis of the aligned short shafts or pins l6 by thecontrollinks 3|, 3|, the shovel is quickly turned to its load-retainingrelation, the angle of repose of its contents preventing any spillingthereof.

Such rapid swing of the shovel bringsit to such intermed ateload-conveyin position at which it is retained during the travel of thetractor, so that the seated operator of the tractor has full view aheadover the loaded shovel.

When such power-operated vehicle reaches its load dumping location, theshovel is ordinarily lifted to its full height with but slight if anychange in its own rotation, except that forwardly to compensate for therearward swing of the boom, and then the operator pulls rearwardly onthe handle 43 thereby releasing both hooks 33 simultaneously, permittingthe load in the shovel such as doorways and passages associated withbins, etc.

In addition, the'center-of-gravity of the appliance is advantageouslycloser to its rear end than in the conventional type of structure, thuscreating better balance.

I claim:

1. In a power-operated tractor-shovel of the type having power-actuatedelevating and lowering means, a shovel-support rockingly mountedthereon, a shovel rockingly mounted on said support, said support andshovel being located ahead of the tractor, a releasable look when activepreventing rocking of the shovel on said support and when releasedallowing the shovel to turn on said support and discharge its load, andmeans to rock said shovel-support during the elevation thereof, thenovel improvement being that the axes of rocking of said shovel-supporton said elevating-and-lowering means and of rocking of said shovel onsaid support are out of register, and that said shovel-supportrocking-means turns the support and shovel locked thereto to bring thlatter to full-load retaining position before upward travel from itslowermost position, the shovel when unlocked discharging its load out ofits forward-end at the front of the tractor.

2. In a power-operated tractor-shovel of the type having power-actuatedelevating and lowerll'lg means, a shovel-support rockingly mountedthereon, a shovel rockingly mounted on said support, said support andshovel being located ahead of the tractor, a releasabl lock when activepreventing rocking of the shovel on said support and when releasedallowing the shovel to turn on said support and discharge its load, andmeans to rock said shovel-support during the elevation thereof, thenovel improvement being that the axes of rocking of said shovel-supporton said elevating-and-lowering means and of rocking of said shovel onsaid support are out of register, and that said shovel-supportrockingmeans turns the support and th shovel locked thereto to bring thelatter to full-load retaining position before reaching an elevationto'obstruct the forward view of the seated operator of the tractor, theshovel when unlocked discharging its load out of its forward end at thefront of the tractor.

3. In a power-operated tractor-shovel of the type having apower-actuated forwardly-extended boom hinged at its rear portion on thetractor, a shovel-support hinged on the front portion of said boom, ashovel rockingly mounted on said support, a releasable lock when activepreventing rocking of the shovel on said support and when releasedallowing the shovel to turn on said support and discharge its load, andlinkmeans hinged at its rear portion on the tractor and hinged at itsforward portion to said shovelsuch support and the shovel locked theretoduring support to rock such support and the shovel locked thereto duringthe elevation of the shovel, th novel improvement being that thelocations of the hinge connections of said link-means cause the supportand the shovel locked thereto to turn the latter to full-load retainingposition before reaching one-half the height of its complete upwardtravel from its lowermost position.

The novel improvement presented in claim 3 in which the hinge-connectionof said linkmeans on said tractor is further forward than thecorresponding hinge-connection of said boom on said tractor, and inwhich the hinge-connection of said link-means with said shovel-support,in the lowermost position of the shovel, is at a lower level than thecorresponding hinge-connection of the boom with said shovel-support.

5. The novel improvement presented in claim 3, in which thehinge-connections of said boom and said link-means on said tractor arein substantially the same horizontal plane with the latter connectionahead of the former, and in which the hinge-connections of said boom andsaid link-means with said shovel-support, in the lowermost position ofthe shovel, are in substantially the same vertical plane with suchlinkmeans connection below that of said boom connection.

6. In a power-operated tractor-shovel of the type having apower-actuated forwardly-extended the elevation of the shovel, the novelimprovement being that the locations of said hinge connections of saidboom and of said link-means with the tractor and with the shovel-supportcause the shovel to rock rearwardly relative to the boom during theinitial upward travel of the shovel to full-load retaining height and torock forwardly thereafter relative to the boom during further upwardtravel of the shovel to dumping elevation.

7. In a power-operated tractor-shovel of the type having apower-actuated forwardly-extended boom hinged at 'its rear portion onthe tractor, a shovel-support hinged on the front portion of said boom,a shovel rockingly mounted on said support, a releasable lock whenactive preventing rocking of the shovel on said support and whenreleased allowing the shovel to turn on said support and discharge itsload, and linkmeans hinged at its rear portion on the tractor and hingedat its forward portion to said shovelsupport to rock such support andthe shovel locked thereto during the elevation of the shovel,

the novel improvement being that the planes of rid link-means and boomthrough the axes of their hinge connections with the tractor and withthe shovel-support cross one another during the first portion only ofthe upward travel of the shovel, the shovel when unlocked dischargingits load out of its forward end at the front of the tractor.

8. In a power-operated tractor-shovel of the type having apower-actuated forwardly-extended boom hinged at its rear portion on thetractor, a shovel-support hinged on the front portion'of said boom, ashovel rockingly mounted on said support, a releasable look when activepreventing rocking of .the shovel on said support and when releasedallowing the shovel to turn on said support and discharge its load, andlinkmeans hinged at its rear portion on the tractor and hinged at itsforward portion to said shoveltheir hinge connections with the tractorand with boom hinged at its rear portion on the tractor, a

shovel-support hinged on the front portion of said boom, a shovelrockingly mounted on said support, a releasable lock when activepreventing rocking of the shovel on said support and when releasedallowing the shovel to turn on said support and discharge its load, andlink-means hinged at its rear portion on .the tractor and hinged at itsforward portion to said shovel-support to rock the shovel-support crossone another between the two hinge connections of the boom during thefirst portion onlyof the upward travel of the shovel, the shovel whenunlocked discharging its load out of its forward end at the front of thetractor.

9. In a power-operated tractor-shovel of the type having apower-actuated forwardly extended boom, means hinging said boom at itsrear portion on the tractor, a forwardly facing shovel and meansrockingly mounting said shovel on the front portion of said boom toelevate and to lower the shovel with the upward and downward swinging ofsaid boom, the novel combination of link-means, means hingedlyconnecting said link-means at its back portion on said tractor and atits front portion to said shovel, respectively, at points to rock theshovel automatically rearwardlyduring its initial elevation to full-loadretention position before obstructing the forward vision of thetractor-operator and thereafter during the further elevation of theshovel to its maximum lift position automatically rocking the shovelforwardly sufliciently to compensate approximately for the tendency ofthe boom during such further ascent to rock the shovel rearwardly.

MARCUS L'. CONRAD.

